ACPEN: Strategic CFO – Developing Strategy and the Why

Overview

Effective CFOs and CPAs play a critical role in shaping and executing organizational strategy. This session focuses on how strategy is developed, why many strategic plans fail, and how finance leaders can help organizations create focus in an increasingly complex and fast-changing environment. Participants will explore competitive advantage, the use of financial and non-financial metrics, and the importance of aligning strategy with mission, culture, and resources. Through discussion and real-world case examples, attendees will gain practical tools to evaluate, measure, and support successful strategies across for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Use of some video reels will add levity to some of the key points.

Highlights

• What strategy really means and who is involved in developing it
• Common reasons strategic plans fail and how to avoid them
• Cost leadership, differentiation, and niche strategies
• Using metrics, KPIs, and the Balanced Scorecard to measure success
• The role of non-financial drivers in financial performance
• Benchmarking and competitive analysis
• Aligning mission, culture, and strategy
• Case discussions on strategy execution and performance measurement

Prerequisites

A foundational understanding of organizational strategy and financial metrics

Designed For

CFOs and CPAs

Objectives

• Explore competitive advantage
• Hear about financial and non-financial metrics
• Discuss the importance of aligning strategy

Preparation

None